Forum - View topicHoney Lemon Soda (TV).
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Edjwald
 Posts: 1837 |
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Honey Lemon Soda (TV) Source: Manga (ongoing @ 27 volumes by Mayu Murata) Demographic: Shoujo Animation Studio: J.C. Staff Genres: drama, romance Themes: bullying, coming-of-age, school, social anxiety Plot Summary: Uka Ishimori had a miserable middle school experience, bullied for her shyness and social awkwardness. She's determined to remake herself in high school, but that's easier said than done. She finds a ray of hope in lemon soda-loving popular boy Kai Miura, and slowly begins to feel more comfortable in her own life. Air Date & Platform: January 08, 2025 (Wednesday) Available on: Crunchyroll Episode Count / Runtime: Pending [EDIT: Fancy opener stuff added. -TK] |
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Edjwald
Posts: 1837 |
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I'm wondering if I'm in a grouchy mood unbeknowst to myself or something, because I wasn't particularly receptive to any of the anime I watched today. Not overly critical, I don't think, but not embracing.
In the case of Honey Lemon Soda, I think I've just had an overdose of anime about young girls passively slouching through episodes with lifeless eyes while suffering and/or being abused. I sat through it with Escape the Princess Lessons, and also in Flower and Asura though the MC wasn't being overtly bullied in that one. It was another hard slog through the first twenty minutes today. and I'm about slogged out. And just like in those two anime, the MC's world of grey suffering cracks open into hope and light at the end (although it feels kind of like obsessive adoration here). I dunno, I was just too numb after the bullying and sadness, and the ending just felt a bit too familiar for me to get the full effect. And it will take people a lot more confident in armchair psychology and their social awareness index than I am to declare if this savior complex kind of relationship dynamic is a bit off. But maybe this anime is life affirming? It is musically lively and visually pretty though the yellow eyes were kind of freaking me out. Okay, maybe I am in a mood. I'll see how episode 2 pans out.. |
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Blood-
 Bargain Hunter Posts: 24457 |
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I was originally going to sample this, but this morning I read the previewers take on it and those (especially Caitlin Moore's) soured me on the idea. I already had my doubts given that bullying was obviously going to be a part of the mix. Anime versions of bullying have a very effective way of enraging me and then frustrating me beyond belief given that I can't magically enter the anime and deliver bone-crushing blows to the bullies. Not only that, but sometimes anime isn't interested in delivering a satisfying comeuppance for the bullies, which just enrages me even further. So, unless I'm really going like a show, if bullying is a topic, I'm advised to stay away for blood pressure reasons.
But beyond that I'm really tired of socially awkward / can't communicate easily protags. So big passeroni on even attempting this one. |
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smurky turkey
Posts: 2918 |
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Count me out too. I already have three romance shows on the list which is more than enough and I was just not feeling the first episode. The ''shy and introverted girl being saved and eventually changed by a hot guy who is quirky'' is something I have seen a bit too often. It does not help that said quirky hot guy is a bit too quirky for my tastes with how he is spraying his Lemon Soda around like there is no tomorrow.
I am a bit sad that you did not watch the episode Blood, knowing you the result would have been at least two golden shower jokes. |
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Blood-
Bargain Hunter Posts: 24457 |
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Well, the disappointment you feel over that, smurky, is simply one more step on this bitter trail of tears we call Life.
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Beltane70
 Posts: 4011 |
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This was one of the shows on my list of things that I wanted to watch and I actually liked the first episode and will continue watching. As someone who was bullied as a child and early teen, I always wind up identifying with the main characters of these types of shows, especially if the main character finds someone that helps to improve their situation.
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Blood-
Bargain Hunter Posts: 24457 |
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Episode 1
After saying I wasn't going to sample this one after all, I changed my mind. ... What? ... IT'S ALLOWED!!! *casts around defiant gaze* Anyway, I liked it. It definitely has some elements I don't super love. Like a heroine who could have gotten into a great school but decided on the basis of a 3-second interaction with a dude to go to a lesser school. *sigh* Oh, shojo. Kai is definitely dick-ish but he might turn out like the blonde guy in Kimi Ni Todoke (you don't really expect me to look up his name, do you?) who seemed like a complete tool, but ended up redeeming himself. So yeah, we'll see. |
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Edjwald
Posts: 1837 |
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Hey, who had the second week in January down for when Blood would officially fall off the anime wagon? 
Kidding! Just kidding! ::::::looking frantically for ticket stub::::::::::: Anyhow, like I said, I'll give this one an episode 2. I don't have anything against anime getting heavy, I'm just a little overloaded, and the hits keep on coming. No spoilers, but Blue Box, Momentary Lily, Anyway I'm Falling in Love with You, and that anime about a guy with an appraisal gift being the strongest weren't exactly pick me ups.today. On the other hand, Welcome to Japan Ms. Elf and the anime about a guild receptionist who can solo kill final bosses are the two newbies I'm most interested in tomorrow, so maybe they'll break up the overcast skies a little bit. (Watch Welcome to Japan Ms. Elf turn out to be about a prostitution ring....) |
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Blood-
Bargain Hunter Posts: 24457 |
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Oh, I have definitely fallen off the wagon, alright. Partly that's due to feeling confident that, given I'm in the middle of a Canadian winter, I can handle a full streaming load AND continue to chip away at my physical collection. So I'm not feeling a huge pressure to prioritize my time. And I'm also just going by instinct. If I watch a show and I don't feel like dropping it, then I don't. If I do, then I do. I'm getting very Zen about it all.
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Piglet the Grate
 Posts: 938 Location: North America |
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I thought they were showing Uka freeze up during the entrance exam?
Kento Miura |
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Blood-
Bargain Hunter Posts: 24457 |
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@ Piglet the Grate: I sure hope you are right about the freezing up thing, but that blew by me. I really got the impression she's at her current school because she's mega thirsty for Kai's Honey Lemon Soda. So the mangaka gave Kai the same last name and initials as the blonde guy from KnT... hilarious!
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Blood-
Bargain Hunter Posts: 24457 |
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Episode 2
So you're dealing with a girl who has been bullied for most of her school years... logically, the best way to help her is to speak harshly to her any chance you get, right? Yeah, I guess if I was a 14-year-old girl I would find that "hot." but since I'm not, I just want to punt Kai's melon like a football. Despite my annoyance at this stupid "ya gotta be cruel to be kind" bullshit, I actually am liking this show. Sure our girl has shit taste in men, but hey she's the heroine in a shojo, so it's not her fault. By the way, I think the title of this should be, "Land of the Yellow-eyed Demons." Much cooler. |
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Blood-
Bargain Hunter Posts: 24457 |
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Episode 3
This episode really drove home to me how this show is a very low rent Kimi ni Todoke. I almost cringe at even mentioning the two in the same post given that KnT is God Tier rom-com while HLS is... not. However, we can't escape the fact that we are dealing with two initially friendless, socially awkward heroines who are brought out of their isolation by stud muffins. There are plenty of differences beyond sheer quality. It took Sawako a long time to realize she had romantic feelings for Kazehaya whereas Uka already is jonesing to have, like, 10,000 of Kai's babies. Yeah, I dunno. I'll give this another episode, but if it's basically just 80% Uka mentally orgasming over how awesome and interesting Kai is, I may be out, despite the hypnotic allure of all those huge yellow demon eyes. |
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Piglet the Grate
Posts: 938 Location: North America |
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Episode 3
The irises are like a cross between kiwi fruit and pineapple slices. How lost can they be since they are on a paved walkway? But the thunderstorm is bad since the Japanese Anime People all get life-threatening colds if they get wet in the rain.  Don't think this is set in Hokkaido, so at least they will not be eaten by a brown bear.
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Blood-
Bargain Hunter Posts: 24457 |
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Episode 4
Part of me wants to drop this, but obviously not the larger part of me given I haven't yet. Uka's emotional yo-yoing is exhausting. One minute she's up, next minute she's down. Wash, rinse, repeat. I've described this as a Low Rent (Very, Very, Very Low Rent) Kimi ni Todoke and it is the glimmers of that dynamic (an isolated girl experiencing the thrill of making friends) that keeps me around. For how much longer, it's hard to say. |
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